The latest bulletin from the Climate Protection Center, which is part of the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports the indicators of an active La Niña system intensified further over the previous weeks.
Cooler than average sea surface temperatures (SSTs) across the equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean were recorded at as much as 1.1 degrees Celsius below normal and temperatures that were colder than normal below the sea surface persisted. Abnormal wind behavior continued to be observed at the low and upper levels of the atmosphere above the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
“La Niña is favored to continue through Northern Hemisphere winter 2022-23, with a 91 percent chance in September-November, decreasing to a 54 percent chance in January-March 2023,” the CPC said.
A more entrenched La Niña phenomenon that brings above-normal rainfall to the country could impact agriculture production negatively, increasing pressure on prices of basic commodities to rise further.
An additional toll on agriculture due to La Niña could force the food insecure Philippines to depend on importation further, especially on several commodities such as onions that are reportedly experiencing a shortage these days.
There is basically nothing our farmers can do as far as the weather and climate are concerned, and with phenomenon like La Niña expected to negatively impact production, the agriculture sector can only depend on government for guidance and support that might be able to mitigate its effects on production and even inflation, which is bound to follow if crop yields drop or are destroyed by heavy rains or storms that are associated with La Niña.
As farmers brace for an extra wet next few months, let us hope that the government is ready to provide the necessary support that can help our farmers weather the literal and figurative storms that threaten to agriculture sector that was hoping to get extra attention when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. chose to lead the Department of Agriculture himself.*
